Thought for July 10, 2024

•  1040: Lady Godiva allegedly rides nude through Coventry
• 1553: Lady Jane Grey begins her 9-day reign as Queen
• 1775: Blacks excluded from the Continental Army
• 1890: Wyoming becomes the44th state and the first with women's suffrage
• 1919: Treaty of Versailles signed
• 1925: Jury selection in the Scopes Trial 
• 1940: Battle of Britain begins
• 1985: Important announcement for Jan Thrailkill, Coke will resume old formula Coke
• 2015: Confederate Flag removed from SC Capitol grounds
• Born: John Calvin, William Blackstone, Nikola Tesla, Adolphus Busch, Mary Bethune [Bethune-Cookman College], David Brinkley, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, John Bradley [raised flag on Mt. Suribachi], Arthur Ashe, Virginia Wade, Arlo Guthrie, Urban Meyer, Sofia Vergara, Jessica Simpson, 
• Died: Hadrian, El Cid, Louis Daguerre [photographer], Arthur Fiedler, Mel Blanc, Omar Sharif, Jim Bouton, 

Thought:

Reading Mark 1:4-8 today. Asking the Lord, what I should take from these verses. We are all familiar with the story of John the Baptist [Baptizer]. While some try to trace the beginning of the Baptist denomination to John, he did not found the denomination. John was a miracle baby, born to aged parents Zacharias the priest and his wife Elizabeth. He dressed like Elijah. He lived in the wilderness. Here is what I notice this morning:

• John preached in the wilderness. Makes me think of where we live and where we proclaim the gospel. His wilderness was a physical wilderness--no cities, no culture, not many people. We proclaim in a wilderness that is heavily populated, full of so-called culture, surrounded by intellectualism and innovation. But we are also in a wilderness of belief, of light, of godly living. 
• John preached repentance. We proclaim that we are all sinners in need of a Savior and that the first step is to acknowledge our sin and seek forgiveness through repentance. 
• People came to hear John. When Jesus is lifted up, He draws people to Himself. When we proclaim Jesus, people come--now, some come to mock, some come to hear, some come seeking. We are not responsible for why they come or how many come--we simply lift Jesus up in our churches and in our lives. People are drawn to Jesus and to those that carry His name, Christians.
• John was not a conformer, he was a transformer. He didn't dress like others, he didn't talk like others, and he didn't use the normal communications methods of the day. Sometimes I wonder if in our striving to use the world's methods, we lose the message of the gospel. The world pays entertainers more that educators.
• John knew that the power was not of himself but of the coming One. I sometimes get caught up in success, thinking that I have done something or accomplished something. John gave all glory and honor to the one who was mightier than he was. The One who he was not worthy to tie His sandals. I need to be careful that all glory goes to the One worthy of all glory and maybe the church needs to figure this out too.
• John recognized that He was simply a messenger--Jesus was the message [1:8]. Again, perhaps the church today needs to regain this understanding--It is not about my comfort, my preferences, my likes--it is about Him and what He can do.

Lord, take me back to John the Baptist and let me understand what he understood--the message is Jesus, who came and is coming again. 

Blessings

Larry